
Are you tired of filming TikToks and watching Mo Willems doodle? Try these fresh ideas—brought to you straight from local elementary school teachers/everyday superheroes—to enrich and entertain your kids and keep the whole family from going stir-crazy.
KINDERGARTEN
JULIE BUTZ, KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AT ARLINGTON ELEMENTARY IN FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP
FIRST GRADE
LINDSEY ELLIOTT, FIRST GRADE TEACHER AT ACTON ELEMENTARY IN FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP
Science: Have children find an animal they want to know more about on the National Geographic Kids website. Once they choose an animal, have them write down facts about the animal. After writing down facts, they can go on to write a research paper using complete sentences and draw a picture of the animal in its habitat.
Social Studies: Have children make a detailed map of your house by drawing it out on paper. When finished drawing and labeling the rooms, have them make a key for their map. When all of that is completed, you can ask them questions about their map.
SECOND GRADE
FELICIA HARRISON, SECOND GRADE TEACHER AT LAKESIDE ELEMENTARY IN WARREN TOWNSHIP
THIRD GRADE
MISSY HERNANDEZ, THIRD GRADE TEACHER AT ST. MALACHY SCHOOL IN BROWNSBURG
To do it, you just hand your child a can of Pringles and challenge them to build a freestanding ring on a flat surface using only the chips. You can also give them a pencil and paper so they can plan out their design and strategy before they start building.
In order to create the ring, kids should only use complete chips (no broken pieces), because intact chips will ensure that the ring is as strong as possible. Any chips that are broken can be discarded, or better yet, eaten!
FOURTH GRADE
DAHLIA SIRILLA, FOURTH GRADE TEACHER AT SOUTH CREEK ELEMENTARY IN FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP
For example, in one exercise I handed out a drawing that resembled a frowning face, and one of my students transformed it into a pig:
You can easily create your own drawings as a starting point to see what your child comes up with—and for additional enrichment, you can also ask them to write a short story about their artwork when they’ve completed it.
FIFTH GRADE
MICHELLE CALDWELL, FIFTH GRADE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS (ELA) TEACHER AT STONYBROOK INTERMEDIATE AND MIDDLE SCHOOL IN WARREN TOWNSHIP
They can do an extension of this and write or tell a story using these senses and adjectives they originally shared. Then allow your child to choose a scene and you will link it to your five senses just like they did. Another fun way to retell the story is to draw it while you are explaining it.
SIXTH GRADE
KATIE THURSTON, SIXTH GRADE TEACHER AT RIVERSIDE INTERMEDIATE IN HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN SCHOOLS
SPECIAL EDUCATION
AMY DAVIS, SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AT WEST CLAY ELEMENTARY IN CARMEL CLAY SCHOOLS
ART
GINGER SMITH, ART TEACHER AT TRADERS POINT CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS IN WHITESTOWN
Once the dough has rested, you can transfer it to a floured work surface and let your kids get creative. They can roll it out and draw on it, build it into 3D sculptures like a snowman or their favorite animal, or cut out shapes with cookie cutters. The best part is, if they don’t love what they’ve made, they can just squash it and do it again.
If they do end up making something they love, they can let it sit out to dry and harden for a day or two. Or, you can bake it in the oven—making sure the child has adult supervision—at 250 degrees until it has hardened and dried, about 3 hours. Once you take it out of the oven, let it cool completely—then you can break out the paint and they can decorate!
MUSIC
JANENE KRENT, ELEMENTARY MUSIC SPECIALIST AT NORTH ELEMENTARY IN NOBLESVILLE SCHOOLS
Most elementary music classrooms have shakers, scrapers and drums as instruments, so have the whole family go on a hunt to improvise and find an item that will work for each of these instruments in the house. You could even give each family member a different room in the house to find their instrument. Collect one of each item, bring them all back to the living room, and try them out. Kids will get really creative!
After everyone has tried out their instruments, pick a favorite and jam out to any genre of music you like on your phone or the radio. Homemade bands are the best—and music can lift your spirits and change your mindset. Enjoy!
Stephanie Groves is a freelance writer based in Indianapolis who is excited to try and make salt dough with her kiddo.